


Rebuilding

by mariamuses



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, F/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:48:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22407508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariamuses/pseuds/mariamuses
Summary: Rowaelin: I heard you talking in your sleep + you’re in a band with my roommate and I have a crush on you ever since I saw you play the guitar/piano/heard you sing and now you’re in our place for rehearsal AU
Relationships: Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien & Rowan Whitethorn
Comments: 1
Kudos: 34





	Rebuilding

**Author's Note:**

> Helloooo guys! Long time no see *upside down face emoji* I hope you like it as much as I did writing it *heart emoji*

My name is Aelin Ashryver Galathynius and I have two things clear in this life: my family loves me to infinity and beyond… and I’m in love with Rowan Whitethorn.

Who is Rowan Whitethorn, you ask?

Only the hottest, more handsome and talented man on the face of the earth.

Let’s rewind, shall we?

I’m a 21-year-old business student at UOT (University of Terrasen, duh), which makes me a senior (yay for the impending doom that is student debt and being thrust into the job market). On my first year here, I met Lysandra, my current roommate, best friend and my cousin’s girlfriend. She’s a music major and has a band, where she plays the drums, with a few other people. One of those is my cousin (that’s how they met… can you hear me eye-rolling?) and another is Rowan-freaking-Whitethorn. He’s the lead singer _and_ guitarist for the group, called the Court of Terrasen (COT for everyone that knows them) and he’s had my heart since I first saw him perform at the local pub on my first year.

For anyone confused, I met them because my cousin Aedion, who’s a year older than me, begged me to go watch him play bass. That’s how three years later, Lysandra and I have winded up as roommates… And that’s also how the whole band is rehearsing at my place and how I’m pining to you about Rowan because he’s so fucking perfect and I cannot help but drool over him.

“Okay, everyone. From the top one last time and then y’all can stay over for dinner and drinks, right Aelin?” asks Lysandra.

I was very unprepared for that question, so I stammer a very unconvincing “um… yeah, sure”.

Rowan shoots me a concerned look, which has my blood on actual fire because being observed by an actual Greek god is not something one lives to tell, and asks:

“Are you sure Ace? You don’t sound very thrilled and you look exhausted.”

 _Fuck, he did notice_.

“No! I mean, yes! I’m sure” I get out. “If you tell me what you want, I can start ringing up the pizzas”.

Lys mouths a ‘thank you’ and when they tell me their preferences, I go into the kitchen to order.

* * *

Five minutes later I’m in the kitchen, scrolling through my phone, when my roommate bursts through the door and gives me a bone-crushing hug.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!” she rushes out. “I know you’re tired and I know you hate to be around Rowan because you love it so much it leaves you helpless but thank you. Bonding time is necessary if we wanna play our best and our place really is the best place and–”

“Shut up” I interrupt her. “It’s your apartment as much as mine, and you know I love you guys as family. As long as you don’t mind if I head to bed before you’re done, I’m fine.”

“Yes! That’s totally okay, I promise. And when you go to bed, we’ll keep quiet. Scout’s honor” she says holding her fingers up in mocking salute.

I roll my eyes at her and give her a little shove when Aedion walks into the kitchen.

“Hey! Watch yourself, that’s my girlfriend there!”

“I’m your freaking family! That trumps everything!” I complain. But he grabs me in a headlock and ruffles my head.

“How’s that little crush of yours, little cousin?” he asks nonchalantly.

I open my mouth to snap back at him, but someone interrupts me.

“Who is your crush?” asks, you guessed it, Rowan-freaking-Whitethorn.

The three of us straighten up and say at the same time.

“No one!”

We look at each other and then at him, who just shrugs and comes closer.

“Everyone is saying that–”

The doorbell rings. Thank God.

I run to get the door and standing outside is the pizza man.

“Pizzas for Aelin?” he asks, taking me in and roving his eyes all over my body. It’s not the first time I’ve gotten that look in my life, but it still does not sit well.

“You–” I start to rip him off, but a sudden, gentle hand on my waist stops me.

“Yes, that would be us” says Rowan somewhere near my right ear, taking the boxes in his arms and handing him the money. “Thank you for bringing them but look at my girl like that again and I’ll rip your head off. Goodnight.”

I’m left standing by the door, too in shock to move, when Rowan comes back, his hands empty now. He takes my face between his palms and starts rubbing my cheeks with his thumbs.

“You okay there?”, he asks.

I swallow, nodding my head at him, my cheeks red from hearing him say ‘my girl’ about me.

“These guys only answer to possession, so I had to claim you for him to back off” he explains, still caressing my face.

Hearing him say that shocks me back into motion and I take his hands gently of may face.

“Pfft, of course. Thank you. For doing that. Not for anything else of course. Not like you did anything else either–” I blurt out and head back into the living room where the guys are distributing the pizzas into plates.

After an hour of eating and talking and more singing, my eyes keep shutting close because of the long day I’ve had, so I get up from the spot on the floor I was sitting at and start heading for my room. However, a few steps into my route, a huge, warm hand closes around my wrist and pulls me towards the couch. Right into Rowan’s lap.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry I din’t–”

“Shut up, Ace. I know you’re tired but just stay with us a little longer. You can even rest your head on my lap” implores Rowan.

_Rowan. Imploring me. Woah._

“I just–” he continues. “Don’t go?”

I open and close my moth a few times, you know, like a fish does. However, I’m not a fish so it just looks weird.

Rowan chuckles but carefully takes my head in his hands and pulls it towards his lap.

_Rowan-freaking-Whitethorn’s lap. I don’t think any of you fully comprehend the meaning of this._

I make to stand up, but he keeps my place firmly but not roughly into place.

“Shh, Ace. Relax. You can sleep if you want. I’ve got you” he says, running his hands through my hair and keeping it off my face.

_Oh my God he’s touching my hair._

And just like that, before I even know it, I fall asleep.

* * *

_I’m standing in my locker again, just like I was six years ago on that day. I was pulling out my algebra book when the speakers blasted the introductory music. It was normal, my high school was unconventional that way and liked giving the weekly news five minutes before class started. They said it made people come in earlier, just to listen to the ‘Gossip Minute’. It was oddly true._

_“Today, students, we have some very dark news. One of our brightest, Sam Cortland, was found dead last night–”_

_My ears started ringing. It could not be true. She had just seen him at the diner. She had just kissed him and now–_

* * *

“Hey, hey, hey, wake up” a voice says. My shoulders are being shaken by someone, but I’m still too raw from the nightmare to actually open my eyes. “Ace. Aelin” it calls me.

A muffled sob escapes my lips and I feel my cheeks getting wet– well, _wetter_.

“Fireheart, wake up.”

I open my eyes suddenly. I’m in my living room, all the lights are out but one and I’m lying on the couch, my head still on Rowan’s lap.

_Rowan._

I look straight up and there he is, a worried look on his face.

_He called me Fireheart. Sam called me that._

The thought brings another sob and a new wave of tears, so I hide my face with my hands. However, he slowly tears them away from my face and replaces them with his own, wiping my tears oh so gently.

“Fireheart” he says again.

“Stop. Don’t– don’t call me that” I beg. I can’t take these feelings. They’re too much. I can’t start feeling that again. I can’t. I just can’t.

“Whoa, stop that” he demands, grabbing my face a little more forcefully and making me look at him. “No thinking.”

I open my mouth to say something, but he stops me.

“No. Look at me. No thinking, just breathing. C’mon, after me. In… out.”

There’s an authority in his voice that tells me to do as he says. It also tells me it’s not the first time he’s done this.

“Again.”

I’m exhausted and all I want to do is go to bed, but the actual love of my life is getting me through my nightmares, and it feels kind of good. He’s seen me at my worst and he’s still here. It gives me a little hope.

_Or maybe he’s just being a nice person but actually wants nothing to do with you._

My brain is real nice to me sometimes, as you can see.

When my breathing has slowed and my tears have stopped he pulls me up and sits face to face with me, his hands getting back to my cheeks.

“Wanna tell me about it? I heard you talking in your sleep– well, crying. I think it’ll do you some good? If you want of course. You probably don’t want anything to do with me so you can tell me, and I’ll go home” he blurts out.

My eyes widen at the thought of him leaving.

“No, no” I rush out. “I’m just not used to talking about my worst nightmares with my biggest crush and ahh–” I gasp as the weight of what I just said sinks in, covering my mouth with my hands.

There’s a heavy silence that seems to last forever and he drops his hands to his lap.

_I fucked it up. Fuck. FUCK._

“I’m your biggest crush?” he looks at me with hopeful eyes.

_Wait, what?_

I nod, not being able to form any actual sounds.

He brings his hands to cup my cheeks again. This time, a tiny smile on his lips that makes my heart burst with excitement. I bite my lip.

“Do you want to know a secret?” he asks, taking my lip out from between my teeth and rubbing it.

I nod again like it’s the only thing I know how to do.

He leans even closer and whispers:

“You’re my biggest crush, too”

My face breaks into the biggest ear-splitting smile I’ve ever had, and I now take his head between my hands, weaving one of them into his very, _very_ soft hair.

He touches his forehead to mine, giving me a very clear choice, which I make quite quickly (not to brag).

I pull my lips to his and we’re kissing for a brief moment… until he pulls away.

I hide my face in the crook of his face, but he quickly makes me look at him again.

“Fireheart” he says, and I shudder.

A single tear runs down my face and he wipes it away quickly, concern etched once again on his features.

How can one person make a word that hurt _so much_ a few seconds ago change into one that brings me to my knees?

“Are you okay?” he asks once again.

“I think I might just start to be” I answer back, smiling.

He hesitantly smiles back, and in that moment I think he understands that I’m not a princess in need of salvation, but just a girl that wants a little company while she’s rebuilding.


End file.
